If you know anything about marathoners. you know that we obsess about the weather coming up to race day. If you're running indoors, weather is never an issue. Running outdoors is a different story. I know nothing about meteorology, but growing up in Hawaii I know a little about various kinds of weather conditions. I learned a whole lot more about weather when I moved to California. But now that I live in Virginia, I think I finally understand the difference between good weather and really bad weather. I'll never forget my first harsh winter. The wind was so cold it would freeze the tears on my eyelashes. Oh how I yearned to live someplace where I could wear shorts all year long and a t-shirt to school (aka, Hawaii). Alas, marathoners have absolutely no control over the weather.
There's a race in Greenland called the Polar Circle Marathon.
It boasts temperatures as low as minus 59 degrees Fahrenheit. You run past glaciers, across an arctic desert, and through the habitats of musk oxen. Course organizers put up the following sign for your safety: "Because of the danger of falling into a crevasse, it is strictly forbidden to leave the marked route on the ice sheet." Man alive. If the temp doesn't scare you to death, that warning sure will.
So what's the forecast for Fort Worth this weekend? Thought you'd never ask:
What? 76 degrees in February? What? Wind gusts of up to 41 miles per hour? To be honest, I've never run in a hurricane before. If you're like me, you had better watch where you spit during the race. The silver lining, of course, is that at some point in the race you should have the wind at your back, not to mention the fact that if it's a hot day the wind can cool you down. (I'm trying to look on the positive side.) I guess the bottom line is: Fair weather running is awesome. But insisting on perfect weather is cowardly. So ...
- Man up.
- Shut up.
- And remember: when you're running into the wind, you have to lean forward.
There are worse things in life than a windy race.